Currently: - Game info: 7:05 pm EDT Wed Jun 11, 2003
- TV: Ch4, FSOH
The Cleveland Indians will be without slugger Ellis Burks when they resume a three-game interleague series with the San Diego Padres at Jacobs Field.
Burks may need surgery after tests found a pinched nerve in his right elbow was causing muscle degeneration in his hand.
The club placed Burks on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, and said the 38-year-old designated hitter will likely undergo surgery.
To fill Burks’ roster spot, the Indians recalled outfielder Coco Crisp from Triple-A Buffalo. Crisp was hitting .360 with the Bisons and was among the International League leaders in eight offensive categories.
This is Burks’ 10th career trip to the disabled list in 16 seasons. Last year, he batted .301 with 32 homers and 91 RBIs and was named the AL’s top DH.
Cleveland’s offense played well without its veteran leader Tuesday.
Rookie Brandon Phillips hit a two-run single in Cleveland’s six-run first inning as the Indians rallied for an 8-5 win over the Padres. Cleveland improved to 9-2 at home since May 16.
Brian Buchanan homered for the Padres, who squandered a four-run lead in the first, dropping to an NL-worst 19-46.
San Diego has lost five of seven.
STANDINGS: Padres - 5th place, 21 GB, NL West. Indians - 4th place, 10 GB, AL Central.
PADRES PROBABLE STARTER: Adam Eaton (2-4, 4.62 ERA). Eaton won for the first time in six starts Thursday, striking out six and holding the Tigers to one run and four hits over seven innings in a 5-1 win. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA in four road starts.
INDIANS PROBABLE STARTER: C.C. Sabathia (4-3, 3.58 ERA). Sabathia had won four straight decisions before getting roughed up in his last outing. The left-hander went 4 1-3 innings, allowing seven runs and nine hits in a 7-4 loss to Colorado at Coors Field. Sabathia had given up just seven runs in his previous five outings combined. Sabathia is 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA in 10 interleague starts.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Padres - Rondell White, .300 avg.; Ryan Klesko, 11 HRs and 34 RBIs; Xavier Nady, 32 runs; Ramon Vazquez and Shane Victorino, 7 SBs. Indians - Milton Bradley, .329 avg.; Matt Lawton, 7 HRs; Burks, 28 RBIs; Omar Vizquel, 39 runs and 8 SBs.
INTERLEAGUE RECORDS: Padres - 2-5; Indians - 2-5.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Padres - OF Brian Buchanan is batting .364 (4-for-11) with a homer and four RBIs against LHP Sabathia. Buchanan is batting .370 (20-for-54) against left-handers this season. … Since April 26, San Diego is 2-14 on the road. … RHP Jay Witasick saw his first action of the season Tuesday with an inning of work in the seventh, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Indians - OF Jody Gerut is batting .410 (16-for-39) with nine RBIs during a career-long 11-game hitting streak. … Cleveland is 15-1 when scoring at least six runs. … OF Crisp, 23, has been tearing up Triple-A pitching since opening day. He was ranked first in hits (81) and runs (42), second in on-base percentage (.434), third in average (.360) and fourth in steals (20).
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Padres - 7-22 on the road; Indians - 15-14 at home.
INJURIES: Padres - SS Vazquez (abdominal strain), 15-day DL; INF Lou Merloni (knee), 15-day DL; OF Jason Bay (wrist), 15-day DL; RHP Clay Condrey (oblique), 15-day DL; RHP Brandon Villafuerte (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Trevor Hoffman (shoulder), 60-day DL; RHP Kevin Jarvis (elbow), 60-day DL; LHP Kevin Walker (elbow), 60-day DL; OF Phil Nevin (shoulder), 60-day DL. Indians - DH Burks (elbow), 15-day DL; OF Karim Garcia (wrist), 15-day DL; RHP Dave Elder (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Jason Bere (shoulder), 60-day DL; RHP Bob Wickman (elbow), 60-day DL; RHP Mark Wohlers (elbow), 60-day DL; INF Ricky Gutierrez (neck), 60-day DL.
Gaslamp Ball
Let's Go Tribe
